Hold Me by the Heart

By: Xhibit B

Chapter Five – Usagi's Revelation

.i do not own sailor moon.

Usagi should have known better than to ask Minako of all people about how to deal with her secret admirer. She should have known better than to even think to go to the other blond for any type of help when it came to dating. Her fingers rubbed against her temples, she wanted to pound her head against her desk, repeatedly, and put herself out of her misery. At this rate, she wouldn't even make it to Valentine's Day to find out who the mystery guy was in the end with the way Minako was going. Maybe she should just say forget this and figure it out on her own? Then probably go to Makoto or Rei for help. Hell, even asking Ami for her help would be a better option than having to endure this.

"Usagi are you even listening to me," Minako demanded, her hands coming to rest upon her hips as she turned to look at her friend. "I'm trying to tell you the five rules of dating and you're not even paying attention to anything I'm saying… what are you doing anyway?"

"Minako, I love you, I really do," Usagi said as she turned to face the other blond. "But don't you think you're going just a bit overboard with the theatrics? And what's this five rules of dating crap you're talking about? Why are there rules? What's the point?"

"You definitely have a lot to learn when it comes to dating, Usagi," Minako laughed, plopping down on the powder pink comforter of Usagi's bed. "Do you want to make it work with this mystery man of yours or not? If you do, listen to me and I promise I will stir you in the right path. I mean, look at Mamoru. The advice that I gave him is working for him and now he's well on his way to getting the girl that he wants."

"Hold on, you gave Mamoru advice," Usagi asked, irking a brow. Why would she be giving Mamoru of all people dating advice? Was he interested in another girl? She almost wanted to cry at the knowledge that someone else had captured his heart. Her hand went to the moon pendent around her neck. So much for the hope that he was the one that sent these gifts to her. "What… kind of advice did you give him?"

She's not sure that she wants to know, honestly. But then again, she couldn't help being curious about what it was he was doing to earn this girl's affections.

"Well, he said that the girl practically doesn't know that he exists," Minako recalled, placing a finger to her chin. "I mean, I don't know how anyone could not notice him of all people. Don't get me wrong, I love Kunzite, but Mamoru is definitely an Adonis. A girl would have to be blind not to notice him."

"I don't need you to describe your sexual fantasies, Minako," Usagi said holding her hands up to stop the other blond from going any further. "I just wanted to know what advice you gave him. Because I'm actually scared for this girl if he's following your plan."

"I take offense to that," Minako said before continuing to explain. "So, as I was saying, I told him to try the secret admirer approach. Because who doesn't love a secret admirer right?"

Usagi's brow furrowed, a secret admirer approach? "When did you guys talk about this?"

"A couple days ago when Kunzite and I went to the Crown to tell Motoki we'd be going to the party," the blond answered thoughtfully. "He was there and looking super dejected, so I decided to help."

Right around the time Usagi had received the necklace. Her brow furrowed… it couldn't possibly be Mamoru. Maybe this was all just a big coincidence. Thinking about it logically, if he had been the person that sent her the flowers and necklace that first day, then why the hell would he suggest that she go to the jewelry store and try to find out who it was that bought the necklace? Unless… he knew that they wouldn't be able to give her the information so his secret would have remained safe!

"I told him that girls like jewelry and used you as an example," Minako rambled on. "I know you like moons, so I suggested getting the girl some kind of jewelry with something she likes on the pendent and used you as an example. My exact words were, "Take for instance, Usagi. She absolutely loves moons. And if I were a guy that was trying to woo her, I would get her a necklace with a moon on it" and he seemed super interested when I said that."

Usagi glanced down at the moon pendent that hung from her neck, this was all too convenient. First, Minako gives Mamoru advice on how to be a secret admirer. Then, she uses Usagi as an example for what he should get for said girl that he liked. After that, she suddenly gets an arrangement of flowers and a beautiful necklace, followed by another arrangement and the matching earrings. It had to be him.

"And then to finish it off, I suggested that he meet the girl at the Valentine's Day party where he reveals himself as the secret admirer and then they'll live happily ever after," Minako said, sighing wistfully. "It's so romantic, I wish Kunzite would have done something like that for me. But instead he just walks right up to me, tells me he likes me and asks me on a date. And we've been together ever since."

"I thought you liked assertive men," Usagi pointed out, smiling at the other blond as one leg came to cross over the other. "When we were younger, you always said you wanted a guy that would just walk up to you and ask you out on a date instead of beating around the bush. And that's exactly what Kunzite did. I thought he would have lived up to your fantasy."

"Well, he did but this is like ten times more romantic than that was," Minako pointed out. "You're so lucky Usagi! I can't wait to find out who this secret admirer of yours is."

"Yeah… me too," Usagi hummed, the side of her mouth curving into a slight smile. She already had somewhat of an idea who it might be just from the information Minako had divulged. And she couldn't wait to find out if she was right or not. "Me too."

Once her business with Minako was finished, she'd head to the Crown to give Motoki a little note to give to Mamoru. To give him her answer about attending the party as well as let him know that she was on to him in the most endearing way possible. She slowly pulled a piece of paper from her desk drawer and a pencil as Minako drawled on about the dating rules that Usagi hadn't bothered to listen to as she picked through her limited closet. She vaguely heard her say something about needing to go to the mall to get something to wear for the Valentine's Day party later that week.

…

Mamoru walked into the Crown Arcade, whistling a soft tune as he made his way to the counter. He was in a good mood, having gotten the confirmation that the second gift was delivered the day before. He hoped to catch a glimpse of Usagi, see if she was wearing the earrings as well as the necklace as she had been since she received it he'd learned. He smiled as he slid into the stool at the counter, Motoki offering a wave as he finished up with a customer he'd been serving before he walked in.

When he was finished, the blond ambled over to where Mamoru sat, coffee pot and fresh mug in hand. He placed it in front of him and filled it with the hot brew, "You seem to be in a good mood."

"Usagi got the second gift the other day," Mamoru hummed as he poured sweetener into his coffee. He stirred it with the drink stirrer from the container on the counter. "Has she come in lately?"

"She did, actually," Motoki said as he reached into his pocket and produced a piece of paper. "She was wearing a pair of earrings that matched the necklace. I assume that's what you got her."

"That's right," Mamoru answered as Motoki held a piece of paper out to him. "What's this?"

"From Usagi," Motoki said as he handed the folded slip of paper off. "I didn't bother to read it, but she figured out somehow that I knew who her secret admirer was because how else would he know about the things she liked. Though I had not the slightest idea she had such a fascination with moons, that came from Minako. But anyways, she asked me to give it to her secret admirer and signed up for the Valentine's Day masquerade party this Thursday."

Mamoru quirked a brow as he opened the note and read the neat writing that was on the lines.

'I know who you are, and I'll be more than happy to meet you at the Masquerade party, Mamoru.'

Mamoru flushed, folding the slip of paper and tucking it away in the pocket of his favourite green jacket. How on earth had she found out that it was him that had been her secret admirer? Did someone tell her? Or had he accidently let something slip when she was close by and hadn't noticed? So many possibilities as to what had tipped her off swam through his head and yet he couldn't come up with a plausible reason why. He felt his stomach doing flip flops.

"What'd the note say," Motoki asked curiously. He'd noticed how the raven hair had reacted to reading Usagi's note and was concerned that she'd said something that he didn't take well to. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What'd she say, Mamoru?"

"She knows," Mamoru answered. He chuckled, he should have given her more credit, she was smarter than she looked. "Somehow she figured out who her "secret admirer" was. So, she wrote that note, promising to meet me at the party."

"Well, at least she won't be surprised when she sees you there," Motoki chuckled, Mamoru joining him a moment later.

He'd been concerned about how she would react when she found out that it was him. When he got her note, he'd been worried that she would have reacted horribly to the news that it was, in fact, him that had sent those gifts to her. And now, he couldn't wait until Valentine's Day.

Coming Up Next: Chapter Six – Roses Are Red